Yesterday’s injury updates for the Orioles seemed appropriate for a team that stayed around the .500 mark before flying to New York, and straight into a buzz saw.

Jackson Holliday is taking batting practice today at Double-A Chesapeake and should start his latest rehab assignment this weekend – as long as he isn’t feeling anymore pain in his right hand.

That’s good news.

Jordan Westburg is shut down again after experiencing discomfort in his right elbow during a ramp-up in his throwing program. He’s set to undergo a reevaluation, and the concern remains that the platelet-rich plasma injection in spring training won’t prevent a surgical procedure to repair his partially torn ulnar collateral ligament.

The hope for a June return is crumbling.

That’s bad news, with the potential to get much worse.

The Orioles are a mixed bag, which leads us to some mailbag leftovers.

When do we panic? Also, should we sign Joe Panik?
Well done. Panik hasn’t played since 2021, but you score points for the reference. I rarely endorse panicking, simply because it can be detrimental to your health and it solves nothing. But I’d understand if you have the uncontrollable urge to freak out. This team can’t improve in the standings if the rotation remains among the worst in the majors in ERA and WHIP and can’t get deeper in games. And if the offense keeps grounding into double plays, which has become a thing. And if the defense remains sloppy, like the Leody Taveras throw from center field last night on Trent Grisham’s double in the third inning that short-hopped and rolled away from Gunnar Henderson, allowing the runner to advance to third base. Cody Bellinger’s fly ball scored Grisham for a 3-0 lead.

Were you blindsided by Tyler Wells being optioned?
Not as much as my reaction to Dean Kremer, but I didn’t anticipate it. Just like I didn’t think Trey Gibson would enter the rotation in the first week of May. This team keeps us guessing. Half of the bullpen was flexible, with relievers having options and that made Wells as vulnerable as Kremer. Wells had worked on back-to-back nights and wasn’t going to be available for at least the next few games. I don’t think he’s going to stay down for long. The rotation had six starters because the doubleheader messed up the order, but Gibson was optioned yesterday when the Orioles signed Lou Trivino to a one-year deal. Wells has to stay down 15 days unless he’s replacing an injured player. He wasn’t going to be an immediate countermove, but the Orioles will need him.

Some fans are calling for another rebuild. Are the Orioles really in that bad of shape or is there still time to build around a core of key players in their mid 20’s and younger?
Do these same fans have short memories and conveniently forget about the misery of the first rebuild? Who wants to relive that experience? I’d rather be tied to a chair with my eyelids taped open and watch every Ubaldo Jiménez start on a loop. I can tell you a bunch of people who don’t want to go through another rebuild. Hint: They reside in the front office and the new ownership group. The lack of financial constraints makes it far less likely that the Orioles tear down and start over again. They didn’t sign Pete Alonso for $155 million as part of their master plan to become aggressive sellers. They haven’t quit on 2026 in the first week of May, but another losing season would make them analyze what’s missing and try again to correct it.

Any rumblings of an injury to Andrew Kittredge? His numbers are just awful. Not all his fault due to the lack of consistent defense, but he’s scuffling big time.
I’ll disagree with you on “scuffling big time.” His first three appearances were scoreless. He got out of a bases-loaded jam on April 28, which partly came from an intentional walk. He struck out three. The next outing was awful, with seven runs charged to him Sunday and only one batter retired, but no one suggested that he might be hurt again. Of course, we didn’t know about other injuries and illnesses and were blindsided.

How much flexibility does Craig Albernaz have in making out the lineups? How much mandatory input does the front office have?
None of us are privy to the inner workings of the daily lineup construction. The club isn’t going to reveal much about it. But Albernaz has access to the same data from the analytics side as Brandon Hyde and Tony Mansolino. He pores over the same numbers and also takes into account which players could use a breather.

What’s the press box take on the team’s current woeful state? Do you get any unsolicited views from scouts of other teams?
Some of the views are unsolicited and others are solicitated. I heard from a few scouts in spring training who pegged the bullpen and defense as weaknesses. The ‘pen has been better than that despite injuries, but the defense is an issue, whether you’re judging it by metrics such as DRS and OAA or using the eye test. You won’t usually find everyone in total agreement in the press box, but an early take is that the Orioles won’t be great or awful. Their win total will fall in the 80s and that could be enough to earn a Wild Card. But they’d have to get healthy and stay that way, and some underperforming players need to step up. This includes Pete Alonso, Trevor Rogers and Kyle Bradish.

Now that we’ve had to call on Dean Kremer, Cade Povich, Brandon Young, and Trey Gibson, who is the next man up if someone else from the rotation gets hurt?
One factor is availability, like which Triple-A starter is properly rested. Gibson was optioned and probably would be the next man up, but I don’t know if you’re counting him. Levi Wells could be that guy. Nestor German and Cameron Weston also would be considerations. Norfolk’s rotation doesn’t have that veteran who’s signed in case of emergency. I don’t know whether Albert Suárez, who accepted an outright assignment yesterday, will be stretched out to start.

Have the Orioles considered putting Tyler Wells in the rotation again?
Anytime that Albernaz or Mike Elias are asked about Wells, they say he’s viewed only as a reliever. So no. They aren’t considering it. He’d have to be stretched out again after working only in short spurts in spring training and this season. He’s valued as a pitcher who can fill multiple roles in the ‘pen and cover multiple innings. Having options also is appealing when they’re in a roster bind. And having him in the ‘pen, in theory, lessens the risk of another injury.

Do you think the team is moving players around in the field too much, and is that leading to defensive woes?
The Orioles want players on the roster who can handle more than one position. Some of the mistakes are coming from guys in their regular spots. Jeremiah Jackson isn’t bouncing around. He’s the second baseman, a position where he made 118 starts in the minors, and he’s had the occasional mishaps. He led the club with four errors going into last night. Leody Taveras mainly is a center fielder and he was charged with a throwing error last night. Tyler O’Neill has made a few sliding catches in right and he’s got two outfield assists, but he’s also committed two errors at his regular position. Dylan Beavers is in the process of developing as a major league outfielder, and that’s led to some adventures in right, center and left. The Orioles want him to play all three. My point here is that I think the problem runs deeper than guys changing positions.

Does Adley Rutschman become a potential sell candidate in July if the Orioles don’t turn things around?
That sounds like a teardown, and I don’t think the Orioles are going to do it. Rutschman is playing like the 2023 version of himself. He’s looking like an elite catcher again. They need more of that, not less. Rutschman is eligible for free agency after the 2027 season, so check back next year.  

Hey Roch! Do you have any John Sterling stories, conversations or encounters you can share? Also, what did you think of John Sterling’s broadcasting style?
Hey! My interactions with Sterling, who passed away yesterday at age 87, were mostly head nods and hellos as we passed each other. His nicknames and home run calls were legendary. “It’s Gleyber Day!” for Gleyber Torres. “Higashioka, the home run stroka!” for Kyle Higashioka. Fans of other teams didn’t have the same appreciation for Thhhhhhhuh Yankeeeeees Win!,” but I like characters. The game needs more of them.

What are your thoughts on baseball’s unwritten laws? No bunting to break up a no-hitter, no stealing in a blowout?
I view them more as unwritten rules. No one is doing jail time. Not stealing in a blowout is understandable, but I find it ridiculous that players aren’t supposed to bunt late in games with a no-hitter on the line. Play the infield in if that’s a concern. Teams should do whatever is necessary to break it up. They aren’t supposed to cooperate. Few players know how to bunt anyway.

I misplaced my cartoon bird hat when we were 9-7 and tied for first place. Found it in my 5 year old’s bed last night. He may have had innocent intentions, but he obviously upset the baseball gods. On a scale of 1 to Jeffrey Maier, how much should we blame him for going 6-12 since then?
He’s only 5, so I assume he doesn’t get an allowance. Otherwise, I’d withhold it. I’d suggest that you let Richie Garcia rule on a punishment, but he’d probably screw it up.

Which holiday will happen first, Jackson or Memorial Day? Yes, I took some liberty with the spelling.
Liberty, liberty, liiiberty … liiiberty. Sorry, it’s stuck in my head. Memorial Day is May 25. Today is the 5th. I think you’ve got a legitimate shot at seeing Jackson first.

Jim Palmer recently ate his first chicken wing. Is there a very popular food that you have never eaten?
I haven’t sampled Rocky Mountain Oysters. I’m not saying that I’d refuse. I believe in expanding your culinary boundaries. But I’ve never seen them on a menu.

How different is the mood in the O’s clubhouse this year with veteran players like Alonso and Bassitt? Is it still LEGOS and video games or are players talking more baseball?
Players have always talked baseball, but they also like to take breaks from it and enjoy activities like pool or whatever is the latest popular game on their phones. I’m only in the clubhouse for the 50-minute pregame media access and after games, but I haven’t noticed anything different from the days of Kyle Gibson and Corbin Burnes and Anthony Santander and Cedric Mullins.

When is Deano back? And will he replace Cy Povich or Cy Brandon Young?
The Orioles say that Kremer is continuing his rehabilitation and throwing program, with no current return to play timeline. Kremer is eligible to return today but that isn’t happening. Some estimates place his return around mid-May.

The 15-day IL for Trevor Rogers seems like a VERY long time for the flu. Is Rogers a woman?
First of all, that’s VERY rude to women. Be better. And there aren’t many choices with the IL. A concussion injury list is seven days. This isn’t a concussion, it’s an illness. The only choice is 15 days, even if he doesn’t need that much time. And he was throwing up and extremely weak, so he was going to miss at least one start. Why play shorthanded? It surprised me that so many people questioned his placement on the IL Have you ever dealt with a severe bout of the flu? Think you’d be able to pitch in a major league game after a few days? I don’t think there’s anyone here who could start in the majors after sneezing.

How’s your son-in-law doing?
Thanks for asking. He made it back home last week and came to my house Saturday for a very late Christmas gathering, which was ideal timing with my mother in town. He’s lost a lot of weight and hadn’t climbed stairs until Saturday, but he made it. We set him up on the couch and he watched the Orioles’ game, because he hadn’t gone through enough trauma. He can only eat small portions, but he’s able to consume “regular” meals like pasta and chicken and rice. He’s graduated from Ensure shakes from a feeding tube and soft foods. He has an appointment on May 15 to hopefully remove the two remaining tubes. In closing, I’ll recommend again that everyone avoid pancreatitis. It isn’t as much fun as it sounds.

Is Alonso really a Gold Glove contender with the way he’s playing right now?
It’s super early, but yes. He’d have to be considered. I haven’t checked around the league, but he’s much better than advertised.

Is there any reason why they don’t make Mayo run in the condiment races? At least when he’s not in the lineup.
If you’re putting mayo on your hot dog, you should be run out of town.

If you were a hot dog, would you eat yourself? I would.
Yeah, I’d slather mustard all over myself, sprinkle on some chopped onions and go to town. And this seems like a good place to stop.